Looking for an opinion

Hey guys I'm a leo who will be moving to Tampa soon. I have a question, but I do not want it to be misconstrued as "starting something". I'm currently considering to seek employment with either HCSO or TPD. I have the education, experience, and background to get hired with either (so please no wanna be comments). I recently came down and did a ride along with HCSO and spent a little time with some of the deps. Although the deputies were great cops and guys, the agency itself seemed to be in a transition period and some what of a power struggle. Perhaps just a little too political for me. With that said, I have not been able to spend anytime with TPD and with my schedule I’m not sure when I will be able to. My question is this: I'm not asking your opinion about the HCSO, but I am asking your opinion on whether what I experienced with them is something I will experience at your agency too. Thanks in advance for the serious responses.

TPD is a awesome place to work, I would consider it hands down! Most Sheriff's are political by nature. It's just that business. Apply to TPD you'll be happy here.

Good Luck

www.tampagov.net/police (http://www.tampagov.net/police)

Hey I spent several years at another agency. Since I have moved to TPD I love it. If I had the choice again I would pick TPD hands down. Every agency around is full of officers wanting to come to TPD. If you get the opportuninty take it...

It's going to be political when your boss is up for re-election every four years. I've lived in Hillsborough County my whole life, and HCSO has ALWAYS been political. Not to say that there are no politics at TPD--there are going to be some at every government agency. HCSO is worse though.

HCSO definitely is in what can be considered a transition period, and you aren't going to find that at TPD. After Gee got elected, he developed this targeted plan that is supposed to make the agency more professional. Most of the deputies I know don't really like the way that the SO is heading because of lots of the new policies and some of the actions that he's taking. Not my firsthand knowledge, just what I hear from talking to deputies.

TPD is not a perfect agency, however knowing officers at pretty much every department in the area, I can say that it's probably the best one to work for when all things are considered.

Politics, be it at HCSO, TPD, TTPD, PCPD, TIA or wherever - exists to the extent that you are struggling to get promoted.

It's the internal politics that you have to worry about as much or more than the politics on the outside. The previous posters comment about things being political when your boss (the Sheriff) is up for election every four years doesn't really apply now that civil service and union representation assures that the individual deputies do not have to participate in the campaign process.

What CAN happen however, is that election of a Sheriff from outside the agency, which hasn't happened in decades, COULD result in a clean sweep at the level of Majors and Colonels which might severely affect the dynamics of promotions at the lower levels. (The old set of fair-haired boys could be replaced with a new set of fair-haired boys.) Of course the same thing has been known to happen at TPD with a change of Chiefs.

All of these agencies have to worry about being sure they have their (unannounced and unacknowledged) quota of ethnic minorities and females moving up the chain of command. If they fail to do so they will be stepped on by the politicians and the federal government.

The politics at HCSO may be more evident in the labor/management clash because the existence of unions is so new there compared to TPD. But if you've been reading this board you know that not everyone at TPD is happy with the PBA and there is real dissention between actives and retirees regarding pension board matters.

You really can't go wrong by getting on board with either agency. However, I think you may find it a bit more difficult and a more time consuming process that you appear to believe will be the case.

Good luck.

The previous posters comment about things being political when your boss (the Sheriff) is up for election every four years doesn't really apply now that civil service and union representation assures that the individual deputies do not have to participate in the campaign process.

That's not necessarily true. While civil service does protect the deputy's job, that doesn't mean that a new sheriff, even one from within the agency, won't up and change the way that the department operates or make political issues out of certain topics in order to appease voters. David Gee was hand picked by Cal Henderson as his replacement, yet he still has made lots of changes at HCSO. His "180 day plan" is a prime example of how everything from the hirind and promotional process to disciplinary procedures have been changed. Obviously, you're going to find those who like the changes and those who don't.

I'll give an example here. I worked for a sheriff's office on the east coast of Florida for 23 years. After some high profile fatal traffic crashes that involved DUIs, the main candidate for sheriff ran on a platform of 'getting tough' on drunk drivers. After he won, he had to appease the voters by following through with his campaign promise. Patrol deputies were basically told that we were required to make X amount of DUI arrests per month, based on the shift and area we worked. Other deputies who worked on plainclothes squads were put back in uniform and sent out on the street to hunt DUIs at night. To make a long story short, this caused lots of dissention within the ranks of the deputies who didn't really care about whether or not the sheriff's campaign promise was fulfilled. Deputies were disciplined for not being 'hard enough' on DUIs, some quit and some were fired. About a year after the new sheriff took office and he proclaimed 'victory' on his fight against drunk driving, things went back to the way they were before.

So don't think that just because there is civil service protection now that a new sheriff can't come into town and change not only the way the agency operates, but how the street deputy does his or her job.

Coming from another agency,,,TPD is a great place to work, I cant speak for the HCSO, but you dont find people at TPD leaving and going to other agencies. It is very common to find those leaving other agencies to come to work at TPD. Sure its got its problems, but I'm happy, and for the most part you will find everybody is. good luck

go 2 Pinellas Park P.D.

[quote="Neutral View":3mr5h9n1]The previous posters comment about things being political when your boss (the Sheriff) is up for election every four years doesn't really apply now that civil service and union representation assures that the individual deputies do not have to participate in the campaign process.

That's not necessarily true. While civil service does protect the deputy's job, that doesn't mean that a new sheriff, even one from within the agency, won't up and change the way that the department operates or make political issues out of certain topics in order to appease voters. [/quote:3mr5h9n1]

I find a lapse in logic in retired deputy's post. Everything that he says about a new Sheriff and changes in agency policy or emphasis could be applied in exactly the same manner for a new Chief of Police of a municipality - or even to the old Chief who finds himself serving under a new Mayor.

And remember, you don't have to wait four years for a Chief to be replaced. It can happen at any time. Replacing the Mayor is on more of a fixed schedule.

I find it strange that someone doesn't realize that filling the jobs of Mayor and Chief are just as political as filling the job of Sheriff.

For anyone who doubts that, I have two words - Sandy Freedman! How was TPD morale during her era? Worse than anything you see at HCSO right now. Remember the see-saw car pursuit policy? The loss of take-home cars? Don't be deceived. Both agencies are on a four-year cycle in which things can go very well or turn very bad.

Further, I don't regard addressing the concerns of the voters to appropriately be labeled "appeasing" them. And, addressing these concerns is not something done only by the Sheriff; it is just as much a concern to an elected Major and an appointed Chief of Police.

If you are going to regard being responsive to public concerns as "politics" you must recognize it occurs in both agencies.

Coming from another agency,,,TPD is a great place to work, I cant speak for the HCSO, but you dont find people at TPD leaving and going to other agencies. It is very common to find those leaving other agencies to come to work at TPD. Sure its got its problems, but I'm happy, and for the most part you will find everybody is. good luck

Are there HCSO deputies coming from/applying at TPD too?

There sure are. I've been here 10 years, and I've never heard of a TPD officer going to another local ageny, it just doesn't happen. In that same time period we've probably had over 70 HCSO guys come over. Between Plant City, St. Pete, PCSO, and Clearwater you could probably add another 70 to that.

I've been here 10 years, and I've never heard of a TPD officer going to another local ageny, it just doesn't happen.

I just figured I'd address this before someone from another agency got on and said "Hey, so-and-so from TPD works for us now!."

The only people who have left TPD for other local agencies are the ones who were asked to leave TPD and were still on probation when they quit. There have been several I can think of in the past couple years. Other than rookies who can't cut it (some with prior experience), nobody leaves TPD unless they go to work for the feds or get out of law enforcement all together.

There sure are. I've been here 10 years, and I've never heard of a TPD officer going to another local ageny, it just doesn't happen. In that same time period we've probably had over 70 HCSO guys come over. Between Plant City, St. Pete, PCSO, and Clearwater you could probably add another 70 to that.

Yeah, but were they street deps or detention....I can understand the detention deps wanting to go to any agency to get on the road. But leo deps now that would be a pretty big deal. Also, are there leo deps applying now since they have a step plan and the union or are we talking about years gone by.

I have worked at 2 city police departments and 20 plus years at HCSO. I love HCSO and would never want to work anywhere else. You are not "forced" to work the political game here, many do it by choice.

The only problem many of us see at this time with the SO is the people Sheriff Gee has entrusted as his Command Staff.

Maybe the deputies dont like Sherrif Gee because he makes them work.
The public loves him and he is wildly popular.
So I guess he will be winning a reelection and those naysayers better start conforming to his ways or hit the highway,

I previously worked for HCSO and have worked at TPD for many years now. Was the best move I ever made. If you want real experience, then working in the city is the place to be.

The HCSO was a very good agency, and at the time had the better equipment than TPD. However, the pay at TPD was much better and at least you had some sort of union representation.

In saying that though, I never saw the HCSO go after someone in some sort of witch hunt. If you were wrong, you were wrong, and the staff did listen to you and took the time to explain their position. Here at TPD, they are more likely to discipline you and not consider the human aspect. Nor will some of them give you the time of day.

The difference is in the politics of the agencies. Both have their politics, but the HCSO was even more political when it came for promotions or special assignments. There is a promotional process, but you knew who was being promoted before the process would even start.

The bottom line is that both agencies are some of the best in the state. Each has its unique problems, and some of the same problems. But if you want to gain experience and do more in a shorter time, then TPD is the place to be.

There sure are. I've been here 10 years, and I've never heard of a TPD officer going to another local ageny, it just doesn't happen. In that same time period we've probably had over 70 HCSO guys come over. Between Plant City, St. Pete, PCSO, and Clearwater you could probably add another 70 to that.

Yeah, but were they street deps or detention....I can understand the detention deps wanting to go to any agency to get on the road. But leo deps now that would be a pretty big deal. Also, are there leo deps applying now since they have a step plan and the union or are we talking about years gone by.

So no one has an answer to this?